INDRODUCTION

Government Shipping Office was established at Karachi Port on 21 May 1948. This was originally a subordinate office of the Ministry of Commerce, and was later placed under the administrative control of the Ports and Shipping Wing, Karachi (Ministry of Communications). It now functions under the Ministry of Ports and Shipping.

The Shipping Office is now being maintained in accordance with the Chapter 3 of the Merchant Shipping Ordinance 2001 which is being reproduced hereunder.

CHAPTER 3.- SHIPPING OFFICES

6. Shipping Offices. –(1) The Federal Government shall maintain a shipping office at every port in Pakistan where there was a shipping office immediately before the commencement of this Ordinance and may establish and maintain such office at any other port as it may deem necessary.

(2) For every shipping office. the Federal Government shall appoint a Shipping Master and may appoint such Deputy Shipping Masters as it may consider necessary possessing such qualifications as may be prescribed.

(3) A Shipping Master and a Deputy Shipping Master shall, in the performance of their functions, be subject to the general supervision and control of the Federal Government or of such other authority as the Federal Government may, by general or special order, direct.

(4) All acts done by or before a Deputy Shipping Master shall have the same effect , as if done by or before a Shipping Master.

7. Conduct of business of shipping office at other office.- (1) The Federal Government may direct that where at any port there is no shipping office established, the whole or any part of the business of a Shipping Office shall be conducted at such office and be committed to such officer at that office as the Federal Government may specify: and thereupon such business shall be conducted accordingly.

(2) For the purposes of this Ordinance, an office at which the business of a shipping office is conducted under sub section (1) shall be deemed to be a shipping office and the officer to whom such business is committed under that sub-section shall be deemed to be a Shipping Master.

8. Duties of the Shipping Master: The duties of a Shipping Master shall, in general in respect of Pakistani ships, be-

(a) to superintend and afford facilities for engagement and discharge of seamen in the manner provided in this Ordinance and the rules made thereunder

(b) to perform such other functions relating to seamen. apprentice, and ships as are, by or under this Ordinance or by general or special order of the Federal Government, assigned to a Shipping Master.
9. Fees for engagement or discharge of seamen,--(1) In respect of all engagements and discharges of seamen, the owner of a ship or master so engaging or discharging shall pay to the Shipping Master such fee as the Federal Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, fix; and the Shipping Master may decline to act in any case until such fee has been paid.

(2) A copy of the scale of fees for the time being payable under sub-section (1) , shall be affixed at some conspicuous place in the Shipping Office.

10. Seamen's Welfare Officers.-- (1) The Federal Government may appoint Seamen's Welfare Officers at such ports or places in Pakistan as it may consider necessary.

(2) A Seamen's Welfare Officer appointed under sub-section (1) shall, under the general supervision and control of the Federal Government or of such other authority as he Federal Government may, by general or special order, direct, perform at any port or place in Pakistan, such functions in relation to welfare of seamen as may be assigned to him by the Federal Government.

SSB/ Roster/List Section.

Issue of fresh, duplicate, higher SSB, ID card
Maintenance of its records of SSB/CDC
Arrangement of medical examination of seamen through PHO
Issuance of cookery certificate.
Maintenance of lists of seafarers
Promotions/demotion cases.
Arrange meeting of SEB & DC .and PC.

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S&D Section

Engagement & discharge of seafarers Issue of port clearance (incoming & out going ships) for ships with Pakistani crew. Redress of grievance of seafarers, regarding dispute of balance of wages dues etc.

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IT/Computer Section

Computerize the over all work of Government shipping Office. Designing and development of Government Shipping Office website and maintaining the record of seamen and Manning Agencies in the Database.

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Establishment Section

Administrative Correspondence Maintenance of personal files/services books & all other matters related to staff
Printing of salable forms and delivery to companies against payment.Perusal of court cases.

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Account Section

Maintenance of accounts including revenue receipts and expenditure.Reconciliation of accounts Preparation of budget Audit of accounts Disbursement of Deferred Credit & Gratuity to retired seamen. Facilitation for death compensation disbursment to legal heirs of deceased seamen.

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